After bye, Panthers ready to start the season afresh

Published Oct. 6, 2009 at 4:12 a.m.

Surely, one weekend without a game can't be a cure-all for the Carolina Panthers early-season woes. Or can it?

Players returned to Bank of America Stadium for meetings Monday after a three-day break and talked like a new season was under way – almost as if their 0-3 record didn't exist.

“When you get away from it for a minute, (you) kind of refocus and see this can be the start of the season for us right now,” said middle linebacker Jon Beason.

Quarterback Jake Delhomme said the team came back so refreshed and loose he could “feel it in the air.”

If that sounds like a team in denial, fullback Brad Hoover said the Panthers are taking the only sensible approach – fixing their gaze ahead and not looking back.

“Right now, I think in everyone's mind on this team, that's the way it has to be approached,” he said.

One thing very different about this Monday from most others is players weren't nursing aches and pains from a game the previous day.

“The body feels pretty good,” said Delhomme. “Guys aren't walking around all kind of beat up like a normal week.”

Instead, the Panthers take the field against Washington Sunday healthier than they've been all season.

Strong safety Chris Harris, who missed the first three games with a knee injury, is expected to make his first start of the season, though that was a point of friendly locker-room debate Monday.

Outside linebacker Thomas Davis said he was “definitely confident” Harris and outside linebacker Na'il Diggs, who missed the last game at Dallas with bruised ribs, would be back in action against the Redskins.

Upon hearing that, Harris let out a big smile and retreated into the kind of conservative talk about injuries that coach John Fox prefers.

“It's still day to day,” Harris said, borrowing an oft-used Fox line. “I can't tell you yeah and I won't tell you no. We'll see.”

Assuming Davis is correct and Harris returns, the benefit will be multi-faced for the Panthers. Harris is the quarterback of the defensive secondary and his leadership has been missed. His return would mean free safety Charles Godfrey wouldn't have to focus on making the secondary calls and would free up Quinton Teal to resume a full-time role on special teams, which is much needed.

“I would love to get out there and make sure we're all lined up right and working as one, liked a greased-up machine working well,” said Harris.

The Panthers have lacked that kind of efficiency during their 0-3 start, but are hoping to take advantage of a soft spot in their schedule the next three weeks against the 2-2 Redskins, who narrowly beat two winless teams (St. Louis and Tampa Bay) for their only victories; the 0-4 Buccaneers; and 1-3 Buffalo Bills.

As much as the Panthers tried to stick with the typical “take the season one week at a time” mantra, they know it's crucial that they capitalize on the upcoming weeks.

“It has to be a sense of urgency,” said Hoover. “There has to be a re-commitment to making it work. Really, we're on a one-by-one, game-by-game basis type thing. We just need to get something started and sort of feed on it from there.

“You want to think we've got three possible games we can win, but you still have to show up and play. There are no pushover teams in this league.”

But Hoover, who hopes to return to action against the Redskins after missing a game with a sore back, boldly affirmed it's not unrealistic to believe the Panthers can fight their way to 3-3 by the end of the month.

“I think if we play up to our capability, we should be up to .500 by then with the next three games,” he said.

However, he was quick to add that the Redskins, Bucs and Bills likely aren't dreading facing Carolina.

“Any time you see a team that is O-fer, basically, teams are licking their chops and wanting to kick you even more when you're down,” he said.

Delhomme said the Redskins probably are “looking at us like we're some new meat for them.”

For encouragement, Harris cited the 2005 season when he was playing for Chicago. The Bears started 1-3, but finished 11-5 with a first-round bye in the playoffs.

“So 0-3 is not the end of the world,” said Harris.

“I've experienced (it) and have been through it. I can testify that all you've got to do is start with one.”

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